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Clarification PLEASE!!!

Ladies & Gentlemen ... Can we PLEASE all request that PPA ONCE and FOR ALL, change the dang website so that it is clear about what merits are, what degrees can be achieved and what any ribbons, medals etc are in ONE PLACE! Something like this perhaps?

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What is the Merit & Degree Program
As a PPA member, you are given the opportunity to earn merits that can be used towards a professional degree. To put it simply, merits are earned by being active in the photographic community. Whether it is by teaching, competing or volunteering, there are endless possibilities for you to earn merits. Once you have accumulated 25 merits, you are eligible to apply those merits towards a specific degree.

Program Requirements
The Merit & Degree program is one of the many member-exclusive benefits associated with a PPA membership. In order to earn a degree, you must hold one of the following memberships for a minimum of 24 consecutive months: Professional Active, Additional Associate, Life, Retired or Sustaining membership. Aspiring Members are able to earn merits, but cannot receive a degree until they qualify with one of the above listed memberships

Merits
Merits are earned through participation in the photographic industry and are used toward earning a degree. Merits do not expire, even if there is a lapse in your membership. Listed below are the four different types of merits and how they are earned

Service merits - volunteer, server and learn
Service merits are earned though volunteer, service and learning opportunities and can be earned at the Affiliate or PPA level. For example, you can earn service merits by serving as president of an Affiliate or by attending Imaging USA

Affiliate level
•Complete courses at PPA approved schools as student, instructor assistant, or trustee.
•Serve as print juror, jury chairman, or affiliate chairman of a PPA Affiliated Exhibition (judging) and/or Specialist
•Exhibition of state or regional affiliate conventions.
•Serve as convention chairman of state, regional, national or international affiliate conventions.
•Serve as president of a local, state, chapter, regional, national or international affiliate.

PPA level
•Serve as a convention chairman or volunteer worker.
•Serve as a juror or jury chairman in the PPA Annual Judging for the International Print Competition.
•Serve as PEC volunteer.
•Serve as president, member of the board of directors, committee chairman, committee member, or as an elected or non-elected councilor.
•Serve as chairman of a seminar (under 6 hours of programming = 1 merit; over 6 hours = 2 merits).
•Photograph used for the cover of Professional Photographer.
•Publish an article in the Professional Photographer magazine or other PPA publication.
•Attend PPA conventions, conferences, and seminars (i.e., Super Monday, Make More Money in Photography, and Chicks Who Click).

Speaking merits
Speaking merits are earned by instructing or contributing to the photographic community and can include serving as instructor for a Super Monday class or at a weeklong Affiliate School.

•Lecture at an affiliate convention or seminar (1-2 merits per program).
•Give a program at a PPA convention or conference (5 merits per program).
•Serve as an instructor for a weeklong affiliate school (5 merits).
•Host a Super Monday class as an instructor (2 merits).
•Publish an article in the Professional Photographer magazine or other PPA publications.
•Serve as the affiliate newsletter editor or Webmaster and submit publication or Web site to the annual Affiliate Communications Competition. Earn an additional merit if you win in your category.

Exhibition merits
Exhibition merits are earned by competing in PPA-approved image competitions, which include PPA-Approved District Judgings and the PPA International Photographic Competition. No more than eight exhibition merits can be earned in a calendar year.

•Enter the PPA Annual International Judging and earn one merit by the Thumbs-Up System for photographic prints, transparencies, and albums. Entries become part of PPA's General Collection and are displayed at PPA’s annual convention, Imaging USA.
•Earn an additional merit if the entry is selected for the Traveling Loan Collection.
•Enter a PPA Approved Regional Affiliated Judging and score 80 or higher to earn a Seal of Approval. Such judgings are usually held in conjunction with affiliate annual conventions.
•The entry with the Seal of Approval is then eligible for a merit when you submit it into the upcoming PPA International Judging.
•An additional merit is given if the entry is selected for the Traveling Loan Collection.

Electronic Imaging merits
Electronic Imaging merits are earned by competing in PPA-approved image competitions with digitally manipulated images. Like Exhibition merits, no more than eight Electronic Imaging merits can be earned in a calendar year. These electronically created, manipulated or enhanced images may be entered in the Electronic Imaging categories of competitions
Note: No more than eight Electronic Imaging merits can be earned in a calendar year.

•Enter competitions with digitally manipulated images. Entries may be submitted in the form of DVDs or prints conforming to the Photographic Exhibition Committee rules. The electronically created, manipulated, or enhanced images may be in these categories:
Electronic Imaging, Print (any subject that can be submitted as a print)
Electronic Imaging, Video (DVDs may include commercial, industrial, social event, or other productions)
•Enter the PPA Annual International Judging (get a Thumbs-Up) and/or the PPA Approved Affiliated Judging (score 80 or higher and submit to International Judging) in the Electronic Imaging category.
•Earn an additional merit if entry is selected for the Traveling Loan Collection.

What Degrees can you earn?
Degrees are earned after you have accumulated 25 merits. Each degree requires different merits, much like a standard university degree would require specific classes. (You receive specific PPA degrees based on the types of merits that you earn. After all, you wouldn’t receive a business degree by taking all art classes.) Listed below are descriptions of the three degrees and their required merits:

Master of Photography (M.Photog.)
The Master of Photography degree is awarded for superior photographic competence demonstrated through photographic competition, advanced education and service to the profession. Basically, it celebrates superior photographic competence through a variety of channels. To earn this degree, you need 13 Exhibition merits and 12 Exhibition, Service or Speaking merits.

•Celebrates superior photographic competence through a variety of channels.
•Awarded through photographic competition, advanced education, and service to the profession.

MERITS NEEDED: 25 Total (13 Exhibition/12 Other)
What type of Medal or Ribbon color is awarded: Gold Ribbon (link to an image) so people can recognize it!

Master of Electronic Imaging (MEI)
The Master of Electronic Imaging degree is awarded for superior photographic competence demonstrated through photographic competition, advanced education and service to the profession. More specifically, this degree recognizes photographic competence with an emphasis on electronic images, including computer graphics and enhancements. To earn this degree, you need 13 Electronic Imaging merits and 12 Electronic Imaging, Speaking, Exhibition or Service merits.

•Recognizes photographic competence, with an emphasis on electronic images (computer graphics, enhancements, etc.).
•Awarded through photographic competition, advanced education, and service to the profession.

MERITS NEEDED: 25 Total (13 Exhibition/12 Other)
What type of Medal or Ribbon color is awarded: Red Ribbon (link to an image) so people can recognize it!

Photographic Craftsman (Cr.Photog.)
The Photographic Craftsman degree, which can position you as an authority in photography, is awarded in recognition of service to the profession as an orator, author or mentor. To earn this degree, you need 13 Speaking merits and 12 Speaking, Exhibition, or Service merits.

•One of the highest recognitions for speaking, writing, or mentoring on photography; positions the photographer as an authority in the industry.
•Awarded in recognition of service to the profession as an orator, author, or mentor.

MERITS NEEDED: 25 Total (13 Speaking/12 Other)
What type of Medal or Ribbon color is awarded: Blue Ribbon (link to an image) so people can recognize it!

Master Artist (M.Artist)
•Recognizes photographic competence, with an emphasis on print enhancements.
•Awarded through photographic competition, advanced education, and service to the profession.

MERITS NEEDED: 25 Total (13 Exhibition/12 Other)
What type of Medal or Ribbon color is awarded: White Ribbon (link to an image) so people can recognize it!

FAQs:
Q: Can you earn more than one degree?
Q: How do you write out the initials for multiple degrees?
Q: What can you get for your merits after you earn your degree?
A: You receive a gold bar to add onto your ribbon for each 25 merits after the degree.
ETC. ETC. ETC.

Re: Clarification PLEASE!!!

Hi Randy,
PPA has actually just finished a microsite for the Merit & Degree program--you are not alone in the confusion! Jeff so kindly helped by photographing the different medallions and ribbons for the image gallery. Here's the site: www.ppa.com/degrees
The image gallery direct link is: http://www.ppa.com/degrees/gallery.html

Re: Clarification PLEASE!!!

Great job the both of you! Where's the Honorary Masters? LOL

Michael Gan,M.Photog.Cr. CPP,Meritage House of Photography

If your business depends on you, you don't own a business-you have a job. And it's the worst job in the world because you're working for a lunatic... You can't close it when you want to, because if it's closed you don't get paid. You can't leave it when you want to, because if you leave there's nobody there to do the work. You can't sell it when you want to, because who wants to buy a job?—Michael Gerber